Webelos Advancement Sign-off

[ASM59]

Hello,

 

I have a general question about advancement sign-off for Webelos.

 

First, a little background;

I am an ASM in our local troop, it has been 4 years since I was a Webelos Den Leader and longer since my last "Cub specific" training.

We had the mother of a Webelos Scout from the local Cub Pack come to our last Troop meeting. Her reason for visiting is that she really wants her son to get his Arrow of Light in February. She contends that her sons Den Leader is not accepting her word that some of his advancements were completed at home. These advancement requirements were make-up work that he missed when absent from some meetings.

 

My question:

Should a Webelos Den Leader take the word of a parent regarding some of his advancement requirements being made-up at home?

 

Our answer to her was that she should take the matter up with the CubMaster and/or Committee Chair. As my son is the Den Chief for her sons Webelos Patrol, I assured her that we (myself and my son) would do everything in our power to help her son meet his requirements for his Arrow of Light. I told her however, that anything we do must be done with the knowledge and approval of his Den Leader.

 

Any advice???

 

ASM59

[molscouter]

(This message has been edited by molscouter)

[molscouter]

Without a few details, it's hard to say. Are these activity badges or other AOL requirements? What requirements are involved? Is there a reason to be suspicious? In previous years, was this one of those boys who came to an April den meeting with all of the achievements and enough electives for 10 arrow points all signed off, even though nothing had been signed off all year?

 

That being said, depending on the badge, I often accepted the parents word/signature. For the Handyman badge, I didn't particularly want to see the boy change a tire or a light bulb; I accepted the parent's word on those. The Fitness badge requires the scout to "tell an adult member of your family" about various things. It made sense for the parent to sign those. On the other hand, I asked to see Craftsman projects. I asked questions about what animals he had observed for Naturalist or where he had gone for Traveler. He had to be able to say the Scout Oath and Law in front of me. If he couldn't, I had no problem telling him to come back next week when he's had more time to learn.

[EagleBeaver]

The Webelos den leader signs off, not the parents.

When I have scouts do requirements at home or on their own, I just ask them to tell me what they did to fulfill the requirement when they bring their handbook for sign-off. If they can't remember, I ask them to talk with their parent and let me know when they remember.

I also have the assistant den leader sign-off for my son's advancement so my son doesn't get(This message has been edited by mn_scout)

[EagleBeaver]

I also have the assistant den leader sign-off for my son's advancement so my son doesn't get off easy.

And, if a parent has presented information for an activity badge, I let them sign the handbooks that are right there at the meeting.

 

See http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/faststart/art/06-801.pdf

 

Paul

[cajuncody]

A scout is trustworthy.

As a current cub den leader this is my opinion.

If a parent comes to me and says their child has completed an item I have 2 choices. 1, I accept their word on the matter and sign off or 2, I call them a liar. Number 2 has never happened. It is up to the scout and Akela to determine when something has been done. My books tell me that along with the den leader and cub master that Akela is also the parent or other important adult. I take the word of my boys, period. I have yet to have anyone be proven a liar. If I had that much doubt about something I would simply put that on my to do list and have EVERYONE bring it to the next meeting that way I am not singling out one boy. We as den leaders and parents really need to show the boys that we trust their word. Otherwise how can we tell them that "A scout is trustworthy"?

Cajun

[Cubmaster-Fred]

ASM59,

 

According to the Webelos leaders Book, all activity badge requirements are approved by the Webelos Leader or designee. Yes I agree some items are completed at home, but in my Pack the boys know they have to bring proof of thier completed work to the Webelos meeting. This could be as simple as a note stating that the boy has completed a requirement.

 

My Webelos Leader has been told to use common sense and to keep the parents involved.

 

What I will tell you is that on any requirement that the boy is to make something, you should definitely have him bring it to the meetings to be approved. Also if he goes somewhere, say the radio station, have someone at the radio station provide the proof that he completed the requirement.

 

Remember, Cub Scouts advancement approval is designed to slowly get the boy accustomed to the way Boy Scouts earn thier merit badges. It progressively takes the approval away from the parents.

 

I hope this helps, but always remember that Scouting is supposed to be fun.

 

CMF

[ASM59]

Thanks for all the input.

 

To answer the question about the type of advancement, they are all activity pins. He apparently worked with Mom at home over the summer to complete a few things from Den meetings that he missed last year. For example, one of the activity pins (Artist??) requires that the boy draw a silhouette. This boy was absent the day that this was done, so he did it at home with Mom. This seems to be one of the requirements finished at home that is not being accepted.

 

In answer to, Is there a reason to be suspicious? I dont know of any, but Im not that close to the situation.

 

For now, I am trying to stay away from the issue unless my son is asked to help. Hopefully that will happen in the context of Den meetings with the Den leader present, so as to avoid any problems.

 

Thanks again for the input.

 

ASM59

 

[ScoutMomAng]

As a Webelos leader myself this is what I tell my boys when they miss a meeting, but first let me say that the parents of Webelos scouts no longer have the privelage of signing off in the Webelos book. It says it somewhere in the book I just can't put my finger on the page right this moment. However, because the boy has missed the meeting does not mean he can not go back and catch up. The leader should tell him what he missed, what steps they did toward that badge and what he should do to complete it. Once he completes it he should bring it back so the leader knows he has completed it and the leader can sign off or if they den or pack has an advancement person then they too should be able to sign off. The boy should NEVER be forbidden to complete work he missed especially if it means he will earn his Webelos Badge or his Arrow of Light (AOL).